Sasang bar for charcoal-grilled beef tongue: Warayaki Tanyo

A quiet charcoal-grill izakaya near Sasang Station

I visited Warayaki Tanyo (와라야키탄요), a great izakaya near Sasang Station, while looking for somewhere quiet for a drink in Sasang. “Warayaki” (藁焼き) in the name refers to a Kochi-style Japanese cooking method that quickly sears just the surface with straw fire to add fragrance. True to its name, the menu here centers on charcoal and smoky flavors, so it felt a little more refined than a typical skewer izakaya.

It is open from 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., so a late dinner visit is easy enough, but I found that reservations are needed in the popular time slots.

The interior is small and calm, so it seems ideal for drinking alone or quietly having a drink as a pair. Each seat has a charcoal grill, and the best part is being able to watch the meat you ordered cook right in front of you.

It was a nice place to sit side by side at the dachi counter and have a drink. Small plates, water glasses, and chopstick rests stamped with the Tanyo logo are set out.

From grilled dishes to nabemono meals

The menu is broadly divided into grilled dishes, chicken, cooked dishes, fried food, fish sashimi, and nabemono meals. Reviews I read before coming said, “Everything is delicious, so you can order it all!” Naturally, I was excited before ordering. There is also a separate page for sake and Korean traditional liquor, so take your time looking through it if you enjoy a drink.

The complimentary side dish was a pickle-like mix of sweet corn, cabbage, and carrot with whole-grain mustard and mayonnaise. The beans grilled right in front of us at the counter were a lovely extra, too.

Today, we ordered soju, tonic water, and lemon to have alongside everything.

Tuna toro maki as our first drinking snack

This is a gimbap (seaweed rice roll) made with bluefin tuna belly. The rich, generously sized roll filled with negitoro was a flawless first drinking snack for the evening.

In one bite, the tuna belly’s richness melted softly into the rice, while the scallions inside cut through the richness.

Korean beef tongue steak grilled over charcoal

This is Warayaki Tanyo’s signature dish. They show it to you before grilling, and the thickly sliced beef tongue looks so appetizing.

Then they place it straight on the charcoal grill. The outside is first seared over high heat while the inside cooks slowly, and the savory smoky aroma rose all the way to the counter as it grilled. Once done, they cut it into bite-size pieces on the grill and transfer it to a plate.

Here is the finished plate. The beef tongue comes with wasabi, grated radish, and lemon.

The beef tongue’s distinctive crisp yet chewy texture was fully intact, and savory juices came through the more I chewed. There was absolutely no unwanted smell.

With a little wasabi on top, the richness was tidied up and it tasted much cleaner. They also serve seasoned chamnamul greens; together, they made the beef tongue approachable even for first-timers.

Our top pick: shiitake Korean beef fritters

This dish is made by shaping and frying minced Korean beef with shiitake mushrooms. A thick layer of meat sits on top of the shiitake, making it easy to eat in one bite. It was crisp outside and still juicy within, while the shiitake’s distinct aroma suited the beef beautifully. These shiitake Korean beef fritters were our top pick of the day. If you visit, I really recommend trying them.

Mentaiko cream pasta that was easy to share

The mentaiko cream pasta came generously topped with scallions and seaweed. The portion was ample enough for two people to share.

The cream sauce was not heavy, and the mentaiko’s salty savoriness and the nutty seaweed aroma were evenly absorbed into the noodles. It worked well both as a drinking snack and as a finishing meal.

Shio ramen to finish

This is a clear, salt-based ramen. You can choose between soy sauce-based shoyu and salt-based shio; today, I was craving shio’s clean but savory saltiness. The broth was clear and clean, so it was good with drinks, too. Honestly, it even tasted better to me than shio ramen restaurants I had tried in Japan. It made me think this is not a place that only does grilled food well.

Blind-date event and final thoughts

When I went to the restroom, I found a fun notice posted there, too. It was a blind-date event called the “Beauty and the Beast Operation”; if you mention the event name to the staff when reserving, they provide a special service menu for blind dates. It starts in September, so this could be worth considering if you are deciding on a venue for a blind date or first meeting.

Overall, Warayaki Tanyo is a Sasang Station izakaya where you can watch the grilling process unfold in front of the charcoal fire and enjoy specialty cuts such as beef tongue without feeling intimidated. With mainly counter seating, it is great for drinking alone or quietly as a pair, and its shareable meal dishes such as mentaiko cream pasta make it better suited to a small gathering or date than a company dinner.